The recent 2.01 Firmware updates for the Falcon Line of ESC’s now include a Heli/Governor mode! The speed controllers contain a fast and precise governor function. With many parameters available to program, you are able to precisely dial in the settings for your specific needs.
Check out the line here!
The Elite Falcon Electronic Speed Controllers 145/200/220 contains a driven output for the external fan (5V, up to 300mA). It is activated as soon as the controller temperature reaches 55°C. Take a look at the diagram below to see how it is properly connected.
Note: If the pins are misaligned, a result of the fan spinning backwards (connected one pin over) or the fan running continuously (connector is upside down) will occur.
Our Elite Falcon ESC’s are able to communicate with most of the common transmitter telemetry systems available. Here is an example where the Elite Falcon is collecting Spektrum Telemetry using the Spektrum SRXL2 protocol.
We are excited to announce another addition to the already fantastic line of Falcon ESCs. The Elite Falcon 145HV/SB is an electronic speed controller with integrated telemetry (Jeti EX, HoTT, S.Bus2, PB) and a 15 amp BEC. In the lab, the Falcon 145HV has been pushed to its max. Test results showed it could withstand an electric current of up to 200 amps – this thing is nearly indestructible! These guys can also support a 12S battery set up.
We expect the Falcon 145HV to join our product lune around late June.
We have some custom carrying bags specifically designed for T-Rex series (700 and 550) available for sale, and they are discounted to go! These bags were found in the back of our warehouse brand new, never used, with original manual and metal tags. Created with a simplistic yet functional design, these bags are constructed out of a superior grade water resistant canvas for better content protection. In addition, they offer a custom tailored internal compartment with an extra thick padded base and a zipper opening. The external lining contains with an anti-vibration and impact resistant protection foam. The custom embroidering completes this bag with a stylish touch. These bags provide the perfect protection for your helicopter.
Align 550E Bag Specifications:
Align 700 Bag Specifications:
Fiala Propellers are simply the finest wood propeller you can buy. Each Fiala propeller is CNC machined in the Czech Republic from locally sourced, sustainable Beech wood. Every one of these fine propellers begin as a carefully selected wood blank which is allowed to stabilize for over a month after being kiln dried to a specific moisture content. This lengthy process assures that you will always receive a consistent and precise propeller.
No matter which color or style you choose, every Fiala propeller is finished using a three step urethane coating for durability and fuel resistance.
All Fiala propellers receive a final balance check after the finish is applied so it is ready to go right away.
We learned about the different types of motors to choose, and what all those specifications were, now it is time to learn how to apply that information to selection of your electronic speed control (ESC).
An ESC is an electronic device that connects to your flight batteries and to your motor. The purpose of the ESC is to regulate the speed of the electric motor. In brushless motors, there is no communicator to adjust the poles inside the motor. Adjustment of the polarity in the poles is what causes the motor to spin. This is where the ESC comes in to the mix. The ESC can adjust motor polarity through its programming.
First thing is first, you must know what your motor is. Your motor must be selected with what you are flying in mind, as you will have minimum requirements based on the airplane (and equipment) chosen and your flying style. Once you have selected your motor, you can look for an ESC.
The first step is to find your current draw, measured in amps. Your current draw is the amount of amps your motor will pull through the ESC when in use. The ESC needs to be rated to handle the motors current draw, or it will overheat and burn up. Current draw will be listed in two configurations: burst and continuous. The burst rating is what the ESC can handle in short bursts, typically of around 10 seconds or less. The continuous rating will be the amount of current the ESC can handle continuously, over the flight. Keep in mind, there are several factors that can effect your current draw; Motor KV, prop size, and motor size.
The second thing that you want to look at is the input voltage rating. The voltage rating lets you know the maximum voltage, from your batteries, that the ESC can safely support. If you are putting a higher voltage through your ESC than intended, you can damage both the ESC and the Motor. The input voltage rating should match what your motor can handle as well.
Some ESC’s will have a BEC (battery eliminating circuit). This will convert the voltage down to a suitable voltage to power your receiver without needing an additional receiver battery pack. Others will be called OPTOs, which mean that the signal is transferred through an optically isolated (by light) circuit and will not carry power to the receiver.
Another thing to consider is your size and weight. Some applications have really tight dimensions (say in the nose of a sailplane) and you will need to find one that will squeeze in. Weight can also play a role in what you need. Typically the smaller ESC’s tend to have less efficient cooling, which can lead to overheating and burning up.
Overall, when choosing an ESC there are a few things to consider, but whatever your need, there is bound to be an electronic speed control for you! Some of the newer ESC’s also include telemetry functions that can measure multiple values like amperage, voltage, battery capacity consumed, and can calculate power output.
Check out our line of ESC’s here.
In the last Flight School, we discussed the different power set-ups for your RC airframe, but now, I want to dig into the electric side of things. In this segment I am going to discuss the different motors available and just what those little specs mean.
First, let’s take a look at the basics of electric motors. An electric motor converts energy from electricity into mechanical energy (Electrical4U, 2021), ultimately spinning your prop or rotor blade(s). When you break it down, you have windings, permanent magnets, a rotor, and a stator – which these parts can vary depending on the motor. For easy understanding, the stator is stationary and the rotor is what rotates. In some cases you may have a commutator (Lnelectric, 2020) and brushes (which I will touch on in a bit), but most motors used in our hobby today are brushless.
To get these parts to spin, we use the science of electromagnetism. By coiling wire around an iron rod (the windings) and running an electrical current (from a battery) through the wire, we can produce a magnetic field with both a north and a south pole. Then by using permanent magnets (and the help of an electronic speed control) we can use the science behind magnetic poles to push or pull the rotor – creating spin. When we change polarity of each pole on the stator, the rotor will spin.
If we are looking at brushed motors, there will be two graphite pieces, known as the brushes. The brushes send electric current to the commutator. The commutator is used to reverse the polarity of the poles which, as mentioned earlier, allows the rotor to spin. Remember though, this type of motor is no longer common in the sport.
Outrunner vs Inrunner: An inrunner motor has the rotor (the spinning part) inside the stator (the part that doesn’t move). An outrunner motor is opposite; it has the rotor on the outside of the stator. There are different applications for each type of motor. An inrunner tends to use epoxy or resin material (Wikipedia, 2022) instead of an iron rod to hold the windings. This reduces the “cogging” due a change in the magnetism inside the motor, leading to a more efficient motor. Inrunners are great for high KV (RPM) applications, but have much less torque.
The Specs: When you look at a motor, there are a lot of specifications, and it can easily become overwhelming. I am going to explain some common bits of information that can help you.
KV – The Kv of an electric motor is simply the RPM (K) per volt (v) under no load – meaning that is it not spinning a prop or rotor blade. In a fully efficient motor, this would be how many times the motor turns for each volt applied (Brown, 2022)
Power is the amount of energy expended over a period of time. It is measured in Joules/Second (or Watts). So your maximum power rating on a motor is going to be the maximum amount of energy expended (or work done) over a period of time.
Electrical charge, or current, is measured in Coulomb/Second ( or Amps). This rating (maximum Amps) on the motor states the current demand of the motor at full load. The Io, or no load Amp draw, is the amount of current the motor draws when not spinning a prop or rotor blade.
Efficiency of a motor is the mechanical output of the motor divided by the electrical input. The more efficient the motor, the less energy is lost.
Electric Motors also have resistance measurements. Resistance is opposition to electrical current, and many factors can effect the resistance in a motor. Some of those factors can include; length of wire in windings, temperature of the wire, and what the wire is made out of (Copper or Aluminum) (Snell Groups, 2021). The resistance of a motor will play into how efficient the motor is and how much heat is produced.
The number of poles in a motor is the “number of permanent magnetic poles, north and south, on the rotor” (Celra Motion, 2023). A good example is a 12 pole motor. It will have 6 North and 6 South poles for a total of 12 poles. There are benefits to having a high pole count, such as reduced weight, higher frequency, and higher torque. However, if you are looking for higher RPM output, then a smaller number of poles is what to look for, as less magnetic poles will produce less cogging (Celra Motion, 2023).
Selecting the right motor: When selecting a motor, there are a few things to consider. First, what type of flying are you going to be doing. Sport/Leisure flying, Racing, 3D, Scale… etc, all come with different power requirements. The second thing to consider is the weight of your airplane. According to Hooked On RC Airplanes, we can safely estimate a need of 100 watts/pound for sport flying and 150-200 watts/pound for 3D style flying (Brown, 2022). A great way to check your power system (voltage, current draw, and power output) would be to invest in a watt meter. You can find them here. In addition, the prop you run can change the need of the motor (or vice versa). “The larger the propeller’s diameter and pitch, the more current the RC electric motor will draw for a given RPM” (Brown, 2022).
Whatever your needs are, there is bound to be a motor for you. Whether you are matching the power of an internal combustion engine (listed as equivalent “cc” designation), fitting inside a narrow fuselage (check out our sailplane motors), running a gear box, or choosing between an outrunner or an inrunner, we can help! Check out our line of motors and find what works for you.
Many of you may be familiar with the Elite EX-5 Serial Bus & Servo Channel Expander, but now we would like to introduce the EX-5 K. The EX-5 K offers all the same great features as the EX-5 (such as multiple protocol support, telemetry, gyro-stabilized servo outputs, and more) but comes in an easier-to-install design. All inputs are encased inside a sturdy plastic housing, complete with a pre-installed installation bracket.
Specifications and Features
– Supported Protocols: Jeti EX, Multiplex M-LINK, Graupner HoTT, Futaba S.Bus/S.Bus2
– Small dimensions and high current throughput via the integrated MR30 power connectors.
– Telemetry (RC system dependent): Temperature, Voltage, G-Force (+/-30G), Attitude (Roll/Pitch/Yaw).
– Gyro-stabilized servo outputs, EX Bus, SRXL16ch. or S.Bus.
– Flight stabilization offering 3 configurable flight modes (Manual/Acro/Horizon).
– Automatic detection of serial data/telemetry after startup.
– Configuration through the transmitter or external terminal (JETIBOX/SMART-BOX).
– Firmware updates via USB interface.
Check out the entire line of Elite Products here.
Introducing the Elite Voltario T70. Like the Voltario T60, the T70 is a high performance, digital dual redundant battery switch with advanced telemetry features and touch switch functionality. It combines a backup battery charging circuit and telemetry functionality in a single device. The T70 however, offers additional expander ports that are not provided by the T60. The T70 is offered in two versions depending upon your set up. One option supports dual batteries, the other supports ESC/battery combinations.
Specifications and Features
Read more here!
